HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier Review
HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is the second stereo integrated amplifier from Citech Co. Ltd. under its highly successful HiFi Rose brand. Once again, it is intended to provide an outstanding solution based on the latest technology, so that established brands could well face new competition. Our detailed test will show why this is the case.
- Citech Co. Ltd. calls the HiFi Rose RA280 Top-notch Master Integrated Amplifier the latest amplifier from the HiFi Rose brand, which we now want to take a closer look at in a detailed test.
Citech Co. Ltd. caused quite a stir with the presentation of the HiFi Rose RA180 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier, the first amplifier of the HiFi Rose brand. Not only was the technology of the HiFi Rose RA180 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier of the very highest calibre, the design was also exceptional. The developers and designers at Citech Co. Ltd. did an outstanding job. Due to the great success of the stereo integrated amplifier in question, it was obvious that Citech Co. Ltd. would not leave it at that, so it was hardly surprising that Citech Co. Ltd. launched the HiFi Rose RA180 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier, the little brother of the HiFi Rose RA280.
The technology of the new HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is based on the extraordinary concept of the HiFi Rose RS180, but the design of the HiFi Rose RA180 is a little more conservative than the HiFi Rose R1280, nevertheless the new, smaller stereo integrated amplifier also presents itself in a refreshingly independent design line. All good reasons to subject the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier to a detailed test.
A short review…
The HiFi Rose brand is a comparatively young one, with the company Citech Co. Ltd, which, as already described, is ultimately behind the HiFi Rose brand, initially focussing on streaming solutions.
HiFi Rose’s solutions were characterised by their enormous versatility, and the developers succeeded in exploiting all the possibilities offered by state-of-the-art IT systems, while not making the products look like simple IT, but rather presenting them in the form of the finest High-end HiFi. Meticulous care was also taken to ensure that the signal processing was designed in such a way that it could stand up to audiophile HiFi enthusiasts and thus meet the highest quality standards.
The developers also used a trick that immediately made their products stand out, namely very generously dimensioned displays that took up almost the entire front of their solutions, making them eye-catching in the truest sense of the word.
This trick was also used for the first stereo integrated amplifier of the HiFi Rose brand, the previously mentioned HiFi Rose RA180 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier.
The fact that it featured state-of-the-art technology and a particularly exciting concept was probably of no interest at first, as the steampunk-inspired design had already provided plenty to talk about.
With the new HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier, the South-Korean company is showing a little more restraint, and that is certainly a good thing.
HiFi Rose RA280, the little brother of the HiFi Rose RA180
The manufacturer itself says that the HiFi Rose RA280 is a kind of little brother to the HiFi Rose RA180, but it is also safe to say that the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is in many respects a more suitable product for a wider range of customers.
When it comes to technology, as already mentioned, the developers have used its big brother as a benchmark, so many features have been adopted to enable the HiFi Rose RA280 to perform at a very high level.
While the HiFi Rose RA180 is above all a clear statement in terms of design, the “little one” is a little more sober, appears a little more discreet, but is therefore much easier to integrate into the home hi-fi rack.
A first contact
Let’s start with a very superficial look and take in the design. And quite frankly, as effective as the steampunk design of the HiFi Rose RA180 may seem at first glance, in the long term the design concept of the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier, which is based on it but is much calmer, will probably be more inspiring, at least that is our subjective assessment.
The housing, which is available in either black or silver, is made of aluminium and has an impeccable finish. The front looks almost spartan compared to the HiFi Rose RA180, but in fact the front of the HiFi Rose RA280 is also lavishly equipped with controls, displays and indicator lights compared to many other solutions in this class.
It starts on the left with an input selector switch, the design of which is somewhat reminiscent of vintage HiFi. This association is also conveyed by the following VU meters, which are classic analogue measuring instruments with lighting that can be dimmed in three stages. This is followed by a tone control with rotary controls for bass and treble, which allows a boost or cut of 15 dB at 100 Hz or 10 kHz and can be completely removed from the signal path using a bypass switch if desired. The final element is a rotary encoder for controlling the volume, which looks a little more modern than the elements on the front described so far, as well as a power button with status LED.
The entire front is slightly offset to the rear, the left and right sides of the chassis have been designed as cooling fins and the front is adorned with the milled company logo in the centre, which is flanked by cooling elements on the left and right.
With dimensions of 430 x 355 x 103 mm, the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier weighs an impressive 9,5 kg.
Designed solely for analogue
It seems remarkable that the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is limited to analogue signals alone, as streaming plays a very essential role for the HiFi Rose brand, as mentioned in the introduction.
However, the decision to rely solely on analogue with the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is a logical one, as it ensures that the solution will retain its value for many years to come. Everything that would be subject to a short product cycle due to rapidly advancing technological developments is left out here.
A wide variety of source devices can be connected to the unbalanced input in the form of RCA sockets and the balanced input in the form of XLR sockets, which can be replaced over the years as required, while the central stereo integrated amplifier continues to perform its services in the tried and tested manner.
Incidentally, one of the RCA inputs listed conceals a phono preamplifier designed for drives fitted with MM cartridge systems or high-output MC cartridges.
The HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier also has an RCA connection for the integration of a subwoofer and there are also 12 V trigger connections on the rear of the device.
Speakers are connected via solid screw terminals, which of course also accept pre-assembled cables with bananas or cable lugs.
Class AD amplifier with next-generation GaN FET technology
As already mentioned several times, the HiFi Rose RA280 is a stereo integrated amplifier that adopts the innovative technologies of the HiFi Rose RA180, according to the company Citech Co. Ltd. The aim here is to achieve an unadulterated, natural sound, overcoming the boundaries between digital and analogue technology and ensuring excellent linearity.
The basis for this is the reliance on a circuit design in Class AD with Next-Generation GaN FET Technology, as emphasised by the manufacturer.
According to Citech Co. Ltd, the company has opted for a so-called Class AD amplifier that utilises GaN FET technology. While conventional amplifiers use MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) based on silicon, FETs based on galium nitride (GaN) are used here.
This achieves a sound quality that combines the sound quality of analogue Class A amplifiers with the efficiency of Class D. In addition, such amplifier circuits are said to be characterised by the fact that they work much more accurately, as they are faster and therefore more precise. In this respect, the manufacturer even speaks of ten times faster switching processes when amplifying signals, which leads to such a linear signal that this can almost be equated with Class A, although in this specific case this is achieved far more effectively and therefore with significantly less heat generation.
Two mono amplifier modules as power amplifiers
Another key feature of the HiFi Rose RA280 Top-notch Master Integrated Amplifier is that it relies on two completely separate mono amplifier modules, offering 250 watts per channel into 4 ohms.
The power supply is also explicitly emphasised as being particularly effective, meaning that the HiFi Rose RA280 Top-notch Master Integrated Amplifier is a high-efficiency power supply.
Hands-on experience
When you lift the amplifier out of the packaging and into the HiFi rack, the first thing you notice is the impeccable workmanship already mentioned. The special design language chosen by the developers here ensures a fresh look in the rack, whereas many other HiFi components look downright old-fashioned and boring.
Another thing we really liked, and this should be mentioned right at the start of our assessment of the product, was the quality of the controls. They have an extremely appealing feel and immediately convey the feeling of owning a high-quality solution. This also applies to the infrared remote control included in the scope of delivery, which is unfortunately only available in silver, regardless of whether you have opted for silver or black for the amplifier. This alone would not be a real disadvantage, but the fact that the remote control can only be used to control the volume and put the device into standby mode, but no input selection is possible. That’s a pity!
However, the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier offers no reason for complaint in terms of flexibility, because ultimately it has to be said that hardly anyone will connect more than a handful of source devices, and the fact that it is only analogue inputs is, as already mentioned, not a disadvantage in the long term.
Remarkably powerful, impressive fine detail
So how does the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier actually perform in practice? How does the stereo integrated amplifier perform when it comes to assessing the sound? Excellent, that’s probably how you can sum it up in a nutshell.
What is immediately noticeable is the power that the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier can offer, and it does so with an ease and precision that is quite remarkable. It is also important to emphasise its ability to deliver an extremely impressive level of detail, which in turn results in a very appealing soundstage that is always clearly defined.
For this test, the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier had to prove itself with our KEF Blade 2, which are, in principle, excellent loudspeaker systems, but where one thing is crucial, namely a powerful amplifier with superior performance. Only then can the KEF Blade 2 realise its full potential.
And the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier proved to be just such an amplifier in our test, always keeping the speaker systems well under control. This was all the more true, of course, when we placed the KEF LS50 at its side as a somewhat more compact and easier-to-handle partner for the electronics.
We were also particularly impressed when we connected the stereo integrated amplifier from South Korea to our Triangle Magellan Cello, where we learnt to appreciate the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier’s integrated tone control, as, depending on the music, a subtle adjustment in both the treble and bass ranges sometimes doesn’t do any harm, but is actually very beneficial to the enjoyment of the music.
Prices and availability
The HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier is already available from specialist retailers at a recommended retail price of € 3.299,-, which is an extremely attractive offer considering the performance on offer.
Getting to the point
As remarkable as the HiFi Rose RA180 may have been as the premiere of the HiFi Rose brand in the field of amplifier systems, its smaller brother, the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier, ultimately seems much more exciting to us. This is initially a little less spectacular, a little more reserved than its big brother, but it should by no means be underestimated, because the HiFi Rose RA280 can also offer the outstanding technical virtues of the HiFi Rose RA180, including the impressive, powerful, detailed performance, which represents a successful blend of naturalness, precision and power.
| Product | HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier |
|---|---|
| Price | € 3.299,- |
Citech Co. Ltd. offers a truly remarkable product with the second stereo integrated amplifier of the HiFi Rose brand, the HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier. Based on technologies originally developed for the HiFi Rose RA180, this is an extremely powerful amplifier with a very precise, clear performance and thus a very nuanced, appealingly musical sound, which also proves to be a flexible and elegant solution, even if it is focused solely on analogue sources.
Positive
- Very powerful on the attack
- very precise, clear presentation, thus very nuanced, appealingly musical sound
- Effective tone control
- Flexible use thanks to sufficient inputs including integrated phono preamp
- Independent, elegant design
- Simple operating concept
- high-quality workmanship
- appealing feel
Negative
- Remote control does not offer input selection
Test Environment
- Roon NUCLEUS plus
- KEF Blade 2
- KEF LS50
- Triangle Magellan Cello
- Kabel von AudioQuest
- Lab12 Gordian
- clic AV-Möbel
| Brand | HiFi Rose |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Citech Co. Ltd. |
| Distribution | Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
Conclusion
Sound
Design
Handling
Price/Performance
EXCELLENT
The HiFi Rose RA280 Absolute Pure Sound Integrated Amplifier was completely convincing in the extensive test. At an attractive price, you get a stereo integrated amplifier with an exciting amplifier concept for a powerful, nuanced and also very musical performance, which presents itself with an independent, timelessly elegant design and thus offers an attractive price-performance ratio.
